Copper lanolate and anti-acne compositions containing the same for topical application to the skin

Abstract

Copper lanolate, a novel product, can be produced by initially preparing an isotropic solution of a sodium or potassium salt of lanolic acid and thereafter precipitating copper lanolate therefrom by the addition thereto of a solution of a copper salt. The resulting copper lanolate is employed in anti-acne compositions for topical application to the skin.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Copper lanolate. 
     
     
       2. Copper lanolate produced by initially preparing a sodium or potassium salt of lanolic acid at a dilution such that said salt is in isotropic solution and then precipitating said copper lanolate from said solution by the addition thereto of a solution of a copper salt, said copper lanolate being soluble in oils, fatty bodies and lower alcohols but insoluble in water and having the following characteristics: total acidity--1 to 2.6 meq/g, grafted lanolate--1 to 3.5 meq/g, residual acidity--<0.08 meq/g, and amount of copper--<7.26 percent. 
     
     
       3. A anti-acne composition for application to the skin comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable vehicle or carrier, copper lanolate in an amount ranging from 0.2 to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of said composition. 
     
     
       4. The composition of claim 3 wherein said copper lanolate is present in an amount ranging from 1 to 8 weight percent. 
     
     
       5. The composition of claim 3 wherein said cosmetically acceptable vehicle or carrier is a water-in-oil emulsion, wherein copper lanolate comprises an emulsifier in combination with a co-emulsifier selected from lanolin, hydrogenated lanolin, a polyglycerol ester or dimerized soy oil, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       6. The composition of claim 5 wherein the weight ratio of copper lanolate to said co-emulsifier ranges from 80:20 to 10:90. 
     
     
       7. The composition of claim 5 wherein the weight ratio of copper lanolate to said co-emulsifier is about 40:60. 
     
     
       8. The composition of claim 5 wherein the weight ratio of the oil phase to the water phase of said water-in-oil emulsion ranges from 95:5 to 25:75. 
     
     
       9. The composition of claim 5 wherein the weight ratio of the oil phase to the water phase of said water-in-oil emulsion is about 50:50. 
     
     
       10. The composition of claim 3 which also includes egg lecithin or soy lecithin in an amount up to 5 weight percent based on the total weight of said composition. 
     
     
       11. The composition of claim 3 which also includes egg lecithin or soy lecithin in an amount ranging from 1 to 1.5 weight percent based on the total weight of said composition. 
     
     
       12. The composition of claim 3 which also includes the tetrasodium salt of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid in an amount up to 5 weight percent based on the total weight of said composition. 
     
     
       13. The composition of claim 3 wherein said cosmetically acceptable vehicle or carrier is an oil-in-water emulsion, said emulsion containing an emulsifying agent having a total average HLB between 10 and 15 and being present in an amount ranging from 1 to 12 weight percent based on the total weight of said composition. 
     
     
       14. The composition of claim 13 wherein the weight ratio of the water phase to the oil phase of said oil-in-water emulsion ranges from 95:5 to 30:70. 
     
     
       15. The composition of claim 13 wherein the weight ratio of the water phase to the oil phase of said oil-in-water emulsion is about 70:30. 
     
     
       16. The composition of claim 3 which also contains an effective amount of a keratolytic agent. 
     
     
       17. The composition of claim 16 wherein said keratolytic agent is benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or resorcinol. 
     
     
       18. The composition of claim 3 which also includes an effective amount of a sun screen agent. 
     
     
       19. The composition of claim 18 wherein said sun screen agent is benzylidene camphor or 2-ethyl hexyl p-methoxy cinnamate.